Chemical Technician II

Contract to Hire position based in Coralville, IA.

About the role

This role supports chemical manufacturing operations by monitoring inventory levels, creating and managing work orders in an ERP system, handling and dispensing chemicals, and maintaining accurate production and regulatory records. The technician follows established procedures for the manufacturing, storage, transportation, and disposal of chemicals and regulated waste, participates in audits and spill response activities, and contributes to safe, efficient, and compliant production on an overnight schedule.

Responsibilities

• Monitor inventory levels and schedule work orders effectively using the ERP system to ensure timely and accurate production.
• Create work orders, transfer materials, and decrement inventory within the ERP system, maintaining precise documentation of all transactions.
• Change and dispense materials for production as needed, ensuring correct materials, quantities, and timing for manufacturing processes.
• Maintain accurate and detailed records related to products, processes, instruments, and training to support compliance and traceability.
• Follow established procedures for the manufacturing, storage, and transportation of chemicals in accordance with internal standards and regulatory requirements.
• Handle regulated waste safely and in compliance with current waste disposal regulations, including RCRA guidelines.
• Adhere to hazardous material DOT regulations and follow established hazardous material spill response protocols.
• Gather, interpret, and analyze scale readouts and production scripts to ensure proper batch execution and product quality.
• Troubleshoot issues with product quality and delivery as they arise, collaborating with team members to identify root causes and implement corrective actions.
• Create materials according to internal specifications in a timely manner and deliver them to designated areas throughout the facility.
• Participate in customer and regulatory audits, including OSHA and EPA audits, by providing documentation, answering process-related questions, and demonstrating compliance.
• Participate in receiving, downloading, and uploading chemicals from tanker trucks into bulk tanks, following all safety and handling procedures.
• Serve as a member of the Hazardous Material Spill Response Team, responding to incidents and supporting containment and cleanup activities as trained.
• Train on and use chemistry instrumentation such as HPLC and GC, as well as UV-Vis and other analytical tools, to support manufacturing and quality processes.
• Apply unit conversions and measurements accurately in daily tasks to ensure correct formulations and batch sizes.
• Follow all safety standards and procedures and consistently use required personal protective equipment.
• Collaborate closely with 4–6 team members on each shift, contributing to a highly teamwork-oriented environment and supporting peers as needed.

Requirements

• Experience working in a chemistry laboratory environment, including basic wet chemistry techniques.
• Ability to handle chemicals safely and follow established laboratory and manufacturing procedures.
• Strong attention to detail when working with measurements, documentation, and equipment.
• Proficiency with unit conversions and measurements to support accurate formulations and batch processing.
• Understanding of safety practices in a chemical or laboratory setting, including hazardous material handling.
• Basic laboratory experience, including familiarity with common lab equipment and protocols.
• Exposure to UV-Vis and chromatography techniques, or willingness to learn and apply these methods.
• Ability to gather, interpret, and analyze instrument readings such as scale readouts to support production decisions.
• Capability to troubleshoot quality and delivery issues using analytical thinking and problem-solving skills.
• Comfort working with manufacturing processes involving chemicals and chemical engineering principles.
• Ability to effectively use an ERP system to create work orders, transfer materials, and manage inventory.
• Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry or another life science preferred. For candidates with an associate degree, 2–3 years of post-graduation experience working in a chemistry lab.
• Ability to comply with all safety standards and procedures and work safely around chemicals and other substances.
• Comfort wearing personal protective equipment for extended periods, including safety toe footwear, gloves, safety glasses, goggles or face shield, lab coat, chemical-resistant apron, sleeves, hood, and Tyvek suits.
• Ability to use a full-face respirator (APR and/or SCBA) for long periods of time as part of standard PPE requirements.

Additional Qualifications

• Familiarity with chemical manufacturing processes and industrial laboratory workflows.
• Experience with hazardous material handling, spill response, and regulated waste management.
• Knowledge of RCRA waste disposal requirements and hazardous material DOT regulations.
• Experience participating in OSHA, EPA, or customer audits in a manufacturing or laboratory environment.
• Exposure to analytical chemistry instrumentation such as HPLC and GC, with willingness to expand skills in these areas.
• Strong teamwork and communication skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively in a small shift-based team.
• Ability to be medically cleared for participation in a respiratory protection program and adhere to all program requirements, including respirator testing and fitting.
• Adaptability to learn new procedures, instrumentation, and ERP functionalities as processes evolve.

Schedule

Overnight shift, working Monday through Friday from 8:00 p.m. to 6:30 a.m., with initial training likely conducted on the day shift for a few weeks.

Pay

The pay range for this position is $25.31 - $28.92/hr. Individual compensation offered within this range will depend on qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

Benefits

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may include:

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital coverage
• 401(k) Retirement Plan – Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available
• Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents)
• Short and long-term disability
• Health Spending Account (HSA)
• Transportation benefits
• Employee Assistance Program
• Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)